This photo ex Williamson Family Collection, recently popped up on fb and thanks to Harold Kidd we now know a lot more about the vessel.


This photo ex Williamson Family Collection, recently popped up on fb and thanks to Harold Kidd we now know a lot more about the vessel.
My Girl
Waitangi
Rorqual
Lady Crossley
2018 Rudder Cup – Motor Boat Race – 60 + Classic Wooden Boat Photos
CYA Chairman James Mortimer + Brett Evans – Sterling – Winner 2018 Rudder Cup
Sterling Skipper & Winning Crew
CYA Chairman James Mortimer + David Cooke – Trinidad – Winner Classic Division
CYA Chairman James Mortimer + Iain Forsyth – Meola – Spot prize winner
Peter Boardman Skipper – Lady Margaret (D. Lang) Spot prize winner
Ferro Skipper – Dick Coughlan – Spot prize winner
Ronaki Skipper – Daniel Thomas – Spot prize winner
Korara Skipper – Anatole Perry – Spot prize winner
The Rudder Cup – A Celebration of Classic Launch Racing Dec 14>15 2018
Maroro (leading)
Maroro
Susie
Susie
MARORO
photos & details ex Harold Kidd & Alan H
This story starts in 1907 when an Auckland family (Matheson brothers) built in St Marys Bay on Aucklands waterfront a 32 ft launch MARORO (flying fish in Maori). Her plans came from the USA Rudder Magazine and she was therefore rather unusual in design in the local New Zealand context. Maroro has a great history but her claim to fame was she won the Rudder Cup, a night race around Sail Rock & back, held on the 12th December 1908.
Fast forward 100+ years (August 2009) & Harold Kidd, Colin Pawson & myself flew to Great Barrier Island to check out Maroro where she was ‘resting’ at Okupa in Blind Bay, you can view photos from that trip on this link http://classicyacht.org.nz/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=652&hilit=Maroro
Maroro was subsequently transported back to Auckland & is now resting again at Marco Scuderi’s yard in Helensville, while her fate is decided. You will see in the Great Barrier photos she was / is as they say in the real estate game – a little distressed. There are lots of posting on the Classic Yacht Association NZ forum on Maroro if you are interested http://classicyacht.org.nz/forum
The purpose of this waitematawoodys posting is to reveal that at long last the original plans for Maroro have been tracked down by super sleuth Harold Kidd, who obtained a copy of the August 1906 edition of the Rudder magazine off Ebay. Featured were the basic layout /plans of a motor launch named Susie. She was 3rd in the Knickerbocker YC long distance power boat ocean race in June 1906, the 2boats that finished ahead of her were much bigger & more powerful. When you compare the photos of Maroro & Susie , disregard the cabin top & focus on the bow & stern, they are almost identical. It would appear that the Matheson brothers were impressed with Susie’s performance in the Knickerbocker race & built a clone.
The above photos include a shot of Susie , the plans, a photo of Maroro winning a race on the Waitemata Harbour & a rather spectacular close up shot of Maroro. What do you think – peas in a pod? (you can freeze the slideshow by clicking on a photo)
Note: the discovery of these layout / plans could help decide the future of Maroro.
Maroro – built in 1907 by the Matheson brothers at St Mary’s Bay for themselves. Her plans came from Rudder magazine and she was therefore rather unusual in design in the local context. For example she has a “spoon” bow and a vee transom. She gained fame from being the winner of the RNZYS Rudder Cup Ocean Race of 1908. A foray was made to Great Barrier on Saturday 22nd August 2009 by Colin Pawson, Alan Houghton and Harold Kidd to inspect Maroro at Okupu and make decisions as to whether the launch was worthy and capable of restoration and the logistics of doing so. The launch is in extraordinarily original condition. The only major additions to the hull are a very sensible dodger which was built on to her in 1920 by the Lane Motor Boat Co. and sponsons both sides.
Late 2009 Maroro was barged back to Auckland & is now in storage awaiting restoration.
Raindance in race mode, yeah right 🙂 during the running of the 2010 Rudder Cup , after stripping anything that was not bolted down off, draining the water tank, just enough fuel on board etc I only gained 0.25knts average speed.